Charity of the Month: St Martins Housing Trust
Leathes Prior is thrilled to be supporting St Martins Housing Trust as our Charity of the Month for January 2025. St Martins' mission is to maximise independent living, and prevent homelessness in our community by offering housing, support, and care to the most vulnerable.
We are delighted to be supporting St Martins Housing Trust, which has been supporting people in Norwich and Norfolk for over 50 years, as our Charity of the Month for January 2025. St Martins' mission is two-pronged, to maximise independent living and prevent homelessness in our community, and enhance understanding and compassion towards homeless people in our community through education and advocacy.
A person sleeping rough needs a roof over their head and a warm bed. St Martins provides this – and so much more. St Martins is the largest homelessness charity in Norfolk, and has been working in the city for over 50 years to support people during one of the lowest point in their lives. Over the years, St Martins has supported thousands of local people who have experienced homelessness to lead independent, fulfilling lives.
- The average life expectancy of homeless men is 47 and 43 for women compared to a general life expectancy of 81.
- Being on the streets means that someone is 17 times more likely to suffer violence and abuse.
- Rough sleepers are nine times more likely to take their own lives than the general population.
This is why it is so important that the outreach team (Pathways) get to people before their rough sleeping habits become entrenched. The provision of specialist support out on the streets can make the difference between life and death. St Martins specialist accommodation projects then pick up the baton and provide accommodation and support to enable people to start their recovery journey.
How do St Martins help?
At any one time, St Martins supports over 300 people with an amazing 200 team members. They have a range of services that are individualised and person-focused. Their services include residential care (including long and short-term accommodation), community engagement, outreach and advice to engage with rough sleepers and inform them of services available to them, learning and development, mental health drop-in sessions and so much more. They have won national awards for our Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) work, and their residential care home is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
What are St Martins' goals for 2025?
During 2025 they have committed to work in partnership with Flagship Housing to build 12 new one-bedroom flats over two sites at Netherwood Green. They have some government funding and a very generous donation from Hopestead but still have a gap to fill. This is what they are fundraising for this year. Given the national housing crisis and pressure on local accommodation, move on accommodation is hard to find for the people they support. 12 new units will help to ease some of the pressure and move people through their services more quickly.
How can you help to support St Martins?
"Like all charities, St Martins has been hit hard by the 2024 Autumn budget. The increase in National Insurance will mean that the 2025/26 budget will be harder than ever to balance. Having the support of local people makes such a difference to us here at St Martins. Quite simply, we could not do our work without your support. It means a great deal to us and the people who use our services."
There are lots of ways to get involved with St Martins, from fundraising to organising a collection of essential items, to volunteering and engaging with their events & initiatives to help them reach their goal of building 12 new flats this year. You can find out more about all of these opportunities, here.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
The use of AI Large Language Models in litigation continues to generate headlines (and consternation from the judiciary). In 2025, it seemed that rarely a month went by without a new case on fake AI-generated case law. December was no exception, and the High Court has now issued a further warning regarding the use of AI by litigants.
Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
The use of AI Large Language Models in litigation continues to generate headlines (and consternation from the judiciary). In 2025, it seemed that rarely a month went by without a new case on fake AI-generated case law. December was no exception, and the High Court has now issued a further warning regarding the use of AI by litigants.
Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to come into force tomorrow (18 December 2025)
After an extended period of back-and-forth amendments between Parliament and the House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, the ERB finally received approval from the House of Lords, with the formality of Royal Assent due to take place tomorrow (18 December 2025). Head of LP Employment, Dan Chapman, explains...
Charity of the Month: The Matthew Project
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting The Matthew Project as our Charity of the Month for December 2025. The Matthew Project supports young people and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex to overcome issues around drugs, alcohol, and mental health, empowering them to rebuild confidence and lead fulfilling lives.
Leathes Prior’s Milan Pandit appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society
Leathes Prior Solicitors is proud to announce that Milan Pandit, Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial Team, has been appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society (NNLS) for 2025/26.
Commercial Lease Renewals: A guide for Landlords & Tenants
Commercial lease renewals are a topic that every commercial landlord and business that rents commercial premises should have at the forefront of their minds. It is essential for good succession planning, though it is often neglected until the expiry of an existing lease term is looming or once the existing term has come to an end and the tenant is holding over. In this article, our newly qualified solicitor, Maggie Berry explores the process that landlords and tenants can expect when navigating this complex area of law.
Our Guidance, Your Legacy: What is a Will, and why should I make one?
Not only is a Will one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are respected, but it also limits the likelihood of a claim/dispute following your death. To ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about benefit from your estate, a Will is essential to ensuring this happens. Find out more in this article.
Lease extensions: The essentials to getting started
Extending your lease can seem complex, but taking the right steps early can make the process much smoother. Jake Mowatt, Associate and Harry Smith, Trainee Solicitor in our Residential Property Team outlines the key essentials every leaseholder should understand prior to extending their lease.
Upcoming changes to bringing employment law claims: What these mean for you
The highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is set to increase the time limits in which employees can bring an employment tribunal claim. Gareth Stevens & Rose Woolterton explain what this means for employers & employees.
Service Charges in Residential Leases: FAQs
Service charges are forever a hot topic in the world of property disputes, and it remains one of the most contentious areas between freeholders and leaseholders, particularly in long residential leases. Danny Turpin, Associate, discusses frequently asked questions regarding service charges on long residential leases.
Leathes Prior winners in nine categories in the prestigious Legal 500 Future Laywer Survey
We are thrilled to announce that the firm has placed once again in the Legal 500 Future Lawyer survey as No.1 in the UK for our Social Life; a ranking we have held in the survey for seven years out of the past nine years.
Jess’s Rule – New Guidelines for GPs
A new initiative is being rolled out across GP practices across England in the hope of preventing serious illnesses being missed by GPs where patients present with the same, or deteriorating, symptoms on multiple occasions. Kimberley Nelson in our Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence Team discusses new guidelines for GPs.
Leathes Prior are excited to announce that four Trainee Solicitors qualify at the firm
Leathes Prior is excited to announce that four of our amazing trainees, Eleanor Chapman, Maggie Berry, Alex Robinson, and Georgia Sartin, have successfully completed their training contracts and are now qualifying as Solicitors at the firm.
